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Student of the Year 2024

Student of the Year 2024

19 January 2026

The Student of the Year award is being held once again to celebrate students who go above and beyond in their contributions to the community and fellow students. The award, organised by Studium Generale and Erasmus Magazine, recognises proactive students of the university who work towards causing a positive impact in the world.

Find out more about the award and the inspiring stories of all the nominees below.

The five finalists for the 2024 Student of the Year election
Gepubliceerd op: 18 April 2024
- Student of the Year election

Do you know who the finalists for the 2024 Student of the Year award at Erasmus University are? This year, the finalists’ list includes five students: Fleur and Emma, who started a buddy program after the attack at Erasmus MC, Yasmine, who is dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty for orphans, Selda, who supports first-generation and migrant students, Mohammed, who works for victims in Gaza, and Mahika, who advocates for marginalised groups.

Mahika is committed to educating the impoverished youth
Gepubliceerd op: 21 April 2024
- Student of the Year election

Mahika Mohanan is recognised for her endless dedication to providing impoverished youth with the right to education. The student has developed a program that provided solar lamps to fifty underprivileged students and is an ambassador for United World Schools while working on her mission of breaking the cycle of poverty through education.
Also check the video we made here.

Mohammed advocates for Palestine: ‘It makes no sense for me to live a normal life while my loved ones are being killed’
Gepubliceerd op: 22 April 2024
- Student of the Year election

Mohammed Shamallakh has shown great commitment to advocating for Palestine. Having lost family members in Gaza, Mohammed raises funds, secures scholarships for Palestinian students, and promotes awareness about the situation in his homeland. Using social media, the student has gathered over 35,000 euros to assist people in need.
Also check the video we made here.

Yasmine: ‘We all have the power to do the right thing’
Gepubliceerd op: 23 April 2024
- Student of the Year election

Yasmine Haggui has started the An-Nahl foundation to fight inequality and support vulnerable children. The foundation helps orphans and refugee children by providing items of clothing and school supplies and building playgrounds at orphanages. The student has chosen to participate in the contest anonymously, focusing on the message that anyone can make a positive impact with dedication.
Also check the video we made here.

Selda is a point of contact for many students: ‘I really don’t want any students to feel lonely’
Gepubliceerd op: 24 April 2024
- Student of the Year election

Selda Şahin is known for her dedication to supporting first-generation students at Erasmus University, as well as students with migrant backgrounds. As the president of the Turkish student association Mozaik, the student has developed initiatives such as organising a Grand Iftar and providing help to earthquake-affected areas in Turkey and Morocco.
Also check the video we made here.

Fleur and Emma helped first-year students after the shooting at Erasmus MC
Gepubliceerd op: 25 April 2024
- Student of the Year election

Fleur Wilbrink and Emma Verheggen are co-finalists for their initiative to support first-year students at Erasmus MC after last year’s shooting incident. To address the fear and uncertainty felt among the new students, they built a buddy program pairing first-years with senior students. The program gathered immense support, counting over 200 senior students who volunteered to be buddies.
Also check the video we made here.